Hair curler with reciprocating hair clamping members



United States Patent 3,209,766 HAIR CURLER WITH RECIPROCATING HAIR CLAMPING MEMBERS Heinz Dannat, Kolpinstrasse 8, Lippstadt, Westphalia, Germany Filed Jan. 24, 1963, Ser. No. 253,609 3 Claims. (CL 132-40) This invention relates to a device for curling human hair. The hair curling device of the present invention may be made for use, for example, in the permanent waving of hair or in the imparting to hair of a curl known as a water wave.

The hair curling device of the present invention is of the type wherein axially reciprocable hand gripping members are disposed at the opposite ends of the body of the curler upon which a tuft or a plurality of strands of hair on the human head are to be wound. Such hand gripping members are retracted when the hair is being wound upon the body of the curler, and are then thrust axially inwardly to secure the wound hair in place, as by a plurality of axially inwardly directed fingers which penetrate the wound hair and grip it between them and the body of the curler.

Previous hair curlers of this type have employed retaining projections or noses on the hair retaining fingers for retaining the hand gripping end members in holes in the main body of the curler while allowing the end members and fingers to be reciprocated with respect to the body. Such construction has the disadvantage that single random hairs may become accidentally caught in the guideways between the pins on the end members and the pin-guiding means on the main body of the curler.

Other previous hair curlers of a similar type have employed an elongated bolt extending completely through a transversely extending axially elongated slot in the main body of the curler, such bolt being secured so as to prevent its escape from the curler by being attached to the end members as by threads or the like. The process of assembling such curler is difficult and requires painstaking work, because of the plurality of small interfitting parts employed in the curler.

The present invention has for an object a substantial simplification of hair curlers of the type indicated.

Another object of the present invention, in preferred embodiments thereof, is the provision of a hair curler which employs only three easily assembled parts.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a hair curler of the type indicated which is of such construction as to overcome the tendency of single hairs to be accidentally caught between the guiding surfaces between the main body of the curler and the hand gripping end members on the curler.

Generally speaking, the hair curler of the present invention employs an elongated member projecting axially inwardly from each of the reciprocable end members, such elongated member being received in a passage in the end of the main body of the curler. The axially inner end of such elongated member is provided with a locking formation which is distortable to allow the elongated member to be axially inserted into the bore in the body. The locking formation regains its original relaxed shape after it has passed a restricted zone of the bore cooperating therewith, whereby withdrawal of the end member past an outer terminal position on the body is prevented. The body of the curler as well as the end members thereon are preferably made of tough elastic plastic material. Such construction is especially well suited for curlers in accordance with the invention adapted for use in the permanent waving of hair. It is to be understood, however, that within the broader aspects of the invention one of the parts of the connecting means, that is, the body of the curler or the elongated axially inwardly directed member on the end member may be made of rigid material while the other of such parts is made of elastically yieldable material.

In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, which is especially well adapted for use in imparting water waves to human hair, the requisite elastic yielding of the locking means between the body of the curler and the end members thereon may be obtained by making the end members of relatively soft elastic rubber or rubber-like material and by making the body of the curler of rigid or tough elastic plastic material. Alternatively, the body of the curler may be made of relatively soft elastic rubber or rubber-like material and the end members on such body of rigid or tough elastic plastic material. In either case the assembly of the end members upon the main body of the curler is possible by the mere pressing of such parts axially toward each other. In order to facilitate the starting of one locking formation into the other during such assembly of the parts, one of the such locking formations may be of tapered shape such as conical, so that it easily starts to enter or to receive, as the case may be, the confronting portion of the other locking member. The locking members are so positioned that when the end members are withdrawn outwardly to their outer terminal positions the inner ends of the inwardly extending fingers thereon remain within guided passages on the curler body; the fingers thus form a protective fence about the guiding surfaces between the curler body and the end members, thereby preventing entangling of the hair about the longitudinally extending guiding and securing member on the end member.

The above and further objects and novel features of the invention will more fully appear from the following description when the same is read in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only, and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views,

FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation of a first illustrative embodiment of hair curler in accordance with the invention, such curler being adapted for use in the permanent waving of hair.

FIG. 2 is a view in longitudinal axial section through the body of the curler of FIG. 1, the hand gripping end member at the right hand end of the body of the curler being shown advanced to its inner terminal position, the end member to be secured to the left hand end of the body of the curler being shown disconnected from the body but aligned therewith in position to be assembled with the body by an axial advance of the parts together.

FIG. 3 is a view in side elevation of a second illustrative embodiment of hair curler in accordance with the invention, such curler being adapted for use in imparting water waves to the hair, and

FIG. 4 is a view in longitudinal axial section through the body of the curler of FIG. 3, the hand gripping end member at the right hand end of the body member being shown advanced to its axially innermost position, the end member at the left hand end of the body being shown disconnected from the body but aligned therewith in position to be assembled with the body by an axial ad.- vance of the parts together. v

The curler body 1 in the illustrative embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 is made of tough elastic material as by being molded therefrom. Body 1 has a longitudinal passage 2 therethrough, there being a radially inwardly directed flange at each end of the body 1. Each of flanges 1.57 7 has a central circular cylindrical hole 6, having a diameter somewhat smaller than that of passage 2, thereby forming sharp annular shoulders 7 at the inner side of each of the flanges. The hair gripping end bodies 3 of the curler are also made of tough elastic material and are each provided with a disc-like body from which there projects a central, axially inwardly directed pin 12, the forward or inner end of each pin having a formation 8 thereon which may be introduced inwardly through holes 6 but which prevent the withdrawal of body 3 from the body. The body of pin 12 has a diameter slightly less than that of hole 6, thereby providing an axial guide between the body and the end members of the curler.

The formation 8 is generally of the shape of an inwardly converging frustum of a cone coaxial of pin 12 and hole 6, the frustum having a base which is normally of appreciably greater diameter than pin 12. Formation 8 has an axially disposed longitudinally directed slit 10 therein of appreciable width, slit 10 extending axially for an appreciable distance axially outwardly of the base of the frustum. There is thus provided a locking formation 8 which is yieldable in a radially inward direction as the formation passes axially inwardly into and through hole 6, so that member 3 may be quickly and easily assembled on body 1 by axially inward movement with respect thereto.

After formation 8 has cleared hole 6, however, it regains its original relaxed shape, as shown at the right in FIG. 2; the member 3 cannot, therefore, be withdrawn axially from body 1 past the position in which the sharp annular shoulder 9 formed by the radially outer zone of the base of the frustum of the cone of formation 8 engages the shoulder 7 on the end flange on body 1.

The hand grips 3 are each provided with a plurality of parallel, axially inwardly directed fingers 4 which are parallel to and are spaced angularly around the axis of the members 3. Fingers 4 are smooth and of uniform cross-section except for their tapered somewhat pointed forward or inner ends. Thus the fingers and their guiding surfaces on the body of the curler do not tend to catch hairs therebetween. When the grips 3 are assembled on body 1, as shown at the right in FIG. 2, the fingers 4 are slidably received in the respective bores 5 in radially outwardly directed flanges at the opposite ends of body 1. The members 3 are provided with annular corrugated gripping surfaces 11 at their outer ends. Thus members 3 may serve as handles which may be conveniently grasped by ones hands during manipulation of the curler.

The described curler is employed to wrap a tuft or number of strands of hair around body 1, such wrapping being done with members 3 retracted into their outermost axial positions. Following such wrapping operation, the end members 3 are thrust into their axially inner positions, as shown at the right in FIG. 2, in which the axially inner ends of fingers 4 overlie portions of the strands of hair wound on body 1, thereby to grip the hair and hold the curler in place on the head. The wound strands are then subjected to treatment with hair curling compounds, are dried, etc., following which the curler is removed from the hair by retracting members 3 axially outwardly of body 1 to the positions wherein shoulders 7 and 9 are in engagement, and the curled strands of hair are unwound from body 1 of the curler.

The embodiment of hair curler shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is particularly adapted for the treatment of hair to provide water curls therein. Water curls are less severe, that is are softer, than the curls resulting from a permanent wave. Consequently, the body 1 of the curler of FIGS. 3 and 4 is of appreciably greater diameter than the body 1 of the first described embodiment of curler. Also, because the strands of the hair wound on body 1' are to be treated with liquid both inwardly and outwardly of the wound strands, the body 1' is provided with a plurality of openings through the sidewall thereof, and the end members 3 are made in the form of axially open,

thin-Walled sleeves. The outer surface of the main portion of body 1' is roughened, as by generally radially outwardly directed projections thereon formed by the making of the described openings through the sidewall of such 5 body 1'.

The end members 3' are provided with a plurality of axially directed slots 10, four equally angularly spaced slots 10 being indicated in each such member 3'. Such slots extend axially inwardly of member 3' from the outer end thereof for a substantial part of the length of the member, the thus formed parts of the member 3 being connected by an annular, peripherally roughened or corrugated radially outwardly extending flange 11 at the outer end, of member 3 and by an annular, axially directed short sleeve portion 17 at the inner end of member 3'.

The outer ends of body 1' are each provided with a radially shallow flange having a central bore 6 therethrough, the inner end of the flange providing a sharp annular shoulder 7. The axially inner end of each of members 3' is provided with an axially rounded annular rib or shallow flange 16 which has a relaxed outer diameter somewhat exceeding the diameter of bore 6'. The inner, slotted sleeve-like portion of member 3, however, yields radially inwardly sufiiciently, when member 3 is axially advanced toward body 1 to present the inner end of flange 16 to the outer end of bore 6, to permit the flange 16 to travel axially inwardly of passage 6. When flange 16 passes shoulder 7', the sleeve-like portion 15 of member 3 regains its relaxed condition in which portion 15 slidably engages the wall of passage 6. Rib 16 prevents withdrawal of member 3' outwardly past the position in which the now relaxed rib 16 engages shoulder 7.

The members 3 are provided with fingers 4, which are similar to fingers 4 of the first embodiment. Fingers 4' are slidably received with passages 5 spaced angularly around radially outwardly directed annular flanges on the opposite ends of body 1'. As above indicated, the body 1 may be made of rigid material and the end members 3' may be made of relatively soft rubber or rubber-like material. Alternatively both members 1 and 3' may be made of soft elastic material.

In use, the curler of FIGS. 3 and 4 is manipulated in substantially the same manner as that above described in connection with the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2. Both embodiments display generally the same advantages: such curlers are composed of but three parts; they are simple and economical to make and assemble; they are easily used; and their construction is such that stray hairs cannot accidentally be caught between the central guiding surfaces between the main body of the curler and the retractable end members thereof. In both embodiments the locking means between the body and end members of the curler lie inwardly of the body of the curler, and thus are protected by their location as well as by the fingers 4 and 4' against the intrusion of hair thereinto. In the first described embodiment of the curler the sidewall of the body 1 is imperforate. In the second described embodiment of the curler, the radially inwardly directed flanges at the ends of the body lie within an irnperforate sidewall zone of appreciable length. Thus hair cannot find its way between the inner surface of such flange and rib 16. Accordingly, when the end members 3 are retracted outwardly, hair cannot be caught by the curler, and may be readily released by unwinding the curled tuft of hair therefrom.

Although only a limited number of embodiments of the invention have been illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the foregoing specification, it is to be especially understood that various changes, such as in the relative dimensions of the parts, materials used, and the like, as well as the suggested manner of use of the apparatus of the invention, may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as will now be apparent to those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. A hair curler, comprising an elongated main body adapted for the winding of a tuft of hair thereon, a central axially directed passage in each end of the body, axially reciprocable hand gripping end members secured to the body at each end thereof for movement between an axially inner terminal position and an outer retracted position, axially inwardly directed comb-like teeth on the end members, each end of the body having passages adjacent the circumference thereof, said teeth being spaced around the end members and slidably received within said passages adjacent the circumference of the respective end of the body, and a separate means for guiding each of the end members for reciprocation with respect to the body and for retaining the end members from retraction past their outer terminal positions, each of said guiding means comprising an elongated central axially inwardly projecting generally cylindrical member integral with its respective end member, said elongated member having its inner free end received within the central bore at the respective end of the body, a first locking formation on the inner free end of the elongated member, and a second locking formation integral with the body in the bore in the body which cooperates with the first locking formation, one of said first and second locking formations being made of relatively soft elastic rubber-like material and being softer than the other locking formation, said locking formations being so constructed and arranged that upon assembly of the end members upon the body of the curler by relative axial advance toward each other said softer, elastic locking formation is deformed to allow the formations to pass each other and then to resume its relaxed shape in which the locking formations interfere to prevent escape of the end members from the body, the elongated central member on each of the end members being generally in the form of a relatively thin Walled sleeve, said sleeve having a radially outwardly directed flange on its axially outer end overlying the respective end of the main body of the curler, the first locking formation comprises a radially outwardly extending locking projection on the sleeve adjacent the axially inner end of the sleeve, and the second locking formation comprises a radially inwardly facing shoulder in the central passage in the main body of the curler, said shoulder having a smaller relaxed radius than the relaxed radius of the locking projection on the sleeve.

2. A hair curler as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main body of the curler is made of relatively soft elastic material, and the end members are made of relatively rigid material.

3. A hair curler as claimed in claim 2, wherein the main body of the curler is in the form of a sleeve having a radially outwardly directed annular flange at each end thereof, the teeth-receiving passages at the ends of the main body being disposed in said flanges on the body, the portion of main body extending between the flanges thereon having a plurality of radially extending passages therethrough, and the sidewall of the central sleeve of each of the end members is divided by a plurality of longitudinal slots of substantial width angularly spaced about such sleeve, said slots underlying substantial lengths of the perforated sidewall of the main body of the curler adjacent the opposite ends thereof when the end members are advanced into their axially inner positions with respect to the main body.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,768,633 10/56 Baumeister 132--40 3,064,659 11/62 Solomon 132--40 3,105,502 10/63 Mitchell et a1. 13240 3,12 ,079 3/64 Buesgen 13240 3,126,896 3/64 Lehn et a1. 13241 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,036,381 4/53 France.

619,889 3/49 Great Britain.

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner. 

1. A HAIR CURLER, COMPRISING AN ELONGATED MAIN BODY ADAPTED FOR THE WINDING OF A TUFT OF HAIR THEREON, A CENTRAL AXIALLY DIRECTED PASSAGE IN EACH END OF THE BODY, AXIALLY RECIPROCABLE HAND GRIPPING END MEMBERS SECURED TO THE BODY AT EACH END THEREOF FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN AN AXIALLY INNER TERMINAL POSITION AND AN OUTER RETRACTED POSITION, AXIALLY INWARDLY DIRECTED COMB-LIKE TEETH ON THE END MEMBERS, EACH END OF THE BODY HAVING PASSAGES ADJACENT THE CIRCUMFERENCE THEREOF, SAID TEETH BEING SPACED AROUND THE END MEMBERS AND SLIDABLY RECEIVED WITHIN SAID PASSAGES ADJACENT THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE RESPECTIVE END OF THE BODY, AND A SEPARATE MEANS FOR GUIDING EACH OF THE END MEMBERS FOR RECIPROCATION WITH RESPECT TO THE BODY AND FOR RETAINING THE END MEMBER SFROM RETRACTION PAST THEIR OUTER TERMINAL POSITIONS, EACH OF SAID GUIDING MEANS COMPRISING AN ELONGATED CENTRAL AXIALLY INWARDLY PROJECTING GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL MEMBER INTEGRAL WITH ITS RESPECTIVE END MEMBER, SAID ELONGATED MEMBER HAVING ITS INNER FREE END RECEIVED WITHIN THE CENTRAL BORE AT THE RESPECTIVE END OF THE BODY, A FIRST LOCKING FORMATION ON THE INNER FREE END OF THE ELONGATED MEMBER, AND A SECOND LOCKING FORMATION INTEGRAL WITH THE BODY IN THE BORE IN THE BODY WHICH COOPERATES WITH THE FIRST LOCKING FORMATION, ONE OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND LOCKING FORMATIONS BEING 